A Little Hitch
by Gimlifan8
Summary: A routine mission gone wrong for Genesis throws a hitch in Hollander's plans for his two experiments. Pre-CC AU. Rated T for safety.
1. Chapter 1

**A Little Hitch**

 **Summary: A routine mission gone wrong for Genesis throws a hitch in Hollander's plans for his two experiments. Pre-CC AU.**

 **Disclaimer: Don't own FFVII.**

* * *

"Sephiroth?"

He held the PHS to his ear using his shoulder as a support, taking his right glove from the coffee table and slipping it back on with his gloved left hand. A phone call from Lazard would, at the very least, mean a venture down to the director's office.

"Yes?" he spoke into the phone.

"Go to the Medbay. Your presence was requested by the in-charge."

Surprising. Sephiroth was rarely needed there, and even if he was, he was not informed, regardless. The fact that he was called now probably had to do with the head of the medical department, Hollander, being away on some sort of doctor's conference. Sephiroth was not particularly popular with the man, a feeling that was entirely mutual.

"What brought this on?" he asked as he opened the door of his apartment.

"As far as I know, Genesis was brought back wounded."

Sephiroth lifted a hand to grip the PHS. His voice, when he spoke, came out harsher than usual. "What happened?"

"An ambush. Genesis had no backup. He did not believe it would be needed. The nearest troop was ten miles away. By the time they got there, he was already down."

"Severity?"

"I was not informed of the details, but it's serious."

"On my way." Sephiroth hung up the phone and quickened his pace.

* * *

The last time Sephiroth had come to the Medbay, it was for Genesis, too. A wound on his shoulder had not been healing. Hollander had asked for a blood donor. Sephiroth had been willing, but Hollander had refused him, choosing Angeal instead.

He still didn't know why. His blood type matched Genesis', he knew that much. And speaking of Angeal...

Lazard himself was standing at the front desk of the medical wing. Sephiroth made a beeline for him. "Where is Angeal?" he demanded.

"He's on a top priority mission. We'll notify him as soon as he finishes it."

"You'll notify him now, or I will." Sephiroth said coolly. "He needs to know. He is the only one viable for a blood transfusion for Genesis."

Surprise flitted across Lazard's face. "I was... not aware of that. Neither, it seems, are the doctors." he nodded towards the man in a doctor's apron who was hurrying towards them.

"Sephiroth." the man greeted the First. "We need you inside, please. Genesis has lost a lot of blood. You are the only one at Headquarters now who matches his blood type."

"I am not viable." Sephiroth said immediately. "Hollander said-"

He trailed off at the look on the doctor's face.

"We have no choice." said the man. The sheer urgency in his tone was enough to send a flash of fear surging through Sephiroth.

Just how badly was Genesis hurt?

He turned to Lazard. "How far away is Angeal?"

Lazard was glancing in between the doctor and Sephiroth with apprehension. At Sephiroth's words, his gaze fixed on his best SOLDIER, and Sephiroth could see the worry in his eyes. "200 miles. More than an hour away."

"He will not survive that long." the doctor said hurriedly. "He's not healing. He continues to lose blood. Every second we delay-"

Sephiroth made up his mind with all the speed and efficiency that he was famous for in the field. "Lead the way." he said.

* * *

Surgeons were crowded around Genesis. Sephiroth saw a flash of bloodstained red hair before it was hidden from sight.

He sat down on the other bed that had been set up, rolling up his right sleeve above his elbow. He had never done this before, but he knew the protocol.

"How much should we take?" the doctor asked.

"As much as he needs." Sephiroth said firmly.

The man opened his mouth, and closed it again at the look Sephiroth was giving him. He gave a wordless nod.

Sephiroth waited for the IV to be attached. When it was connected to a blood bag, he reached out and sped up the drip to maximum speed.

He couldn't say he particularly cared for the draining sensation, but he'd had worse. He sat back against the bed railing and waited for the bag to fill up.

* * *

"He's healing!" someone exclaimed.

There was a sudden shift in the room's atmosphere. Genesis had just been given the fourth bag of blood, and it appeared that the mako in the blood had finally begun to work on Genesis' healing.

Sephiroth, feeling more than a little weary, lifted his head.

He could see little from his angle. Only a flash of red hair. "How is he?" he asked the nurse standing beside him.

"The blood has stopped leaking out." she said. "The wounds are all closing. I think he will be fine, thanks to you, sir."

All closing? Even Angeal's blood was not enough to close Genesis' wound properly. Had Hollander made a mistake when he dismissed Sephiroth as a donor?

Or had he lied?

"He still doesn't have enough blood!" one surgeon snapped at the nurse. "Why are you stopping? He needs one more pint, at least."

Then the man winced when Sephiroth's eyes met his. "If...if that's alright with you." he said lamely.

Sephiroth eyed him for a moment longer, just for the fun of it. "It's fine." he said, releasing the man from his stare. The surgeon looked immensely relieved.

The nurse objected. "Five pints is too much to lose, sir, even for a First. We cannot possibly-"

"I said it's fine." Sephiroth turned his gaze on her and she wilted.

It was just as well, Sephiroth thought as she began preparing the fifth blood bag, that Angeal was not here. Sephiroth himself was the strongest of the Firsts in many ways, and physical endurance was one of them. It was most likely that, if any of them were able to survive with 50% blood loss, that would be him. And if Angeal was here, no one would have risked taking Sephiroth's blood, and Genesis would not have healed.

The fact that his blood had healed Genesis brought him a relieved sort of satisfaction. It also amused him to wonder how Genesis would react once he learned this.

He could feel sleep tugging at his eyelids midway through the last transfusion. He knew he couldn't go to sleep now - he didn't want to slip into a coma- so he busied himself with watching the surgeons work. When they at last moved back, Sephiroth saw something that startled him out of his drowsiness.

The old wound on Genesis' shoulder had faded. He now looked perfectly healthy; with only the palor of his skin communicating the lack of blood in his body.

A small smile tugged at the corner of Sephiroth's lips.

"It's done, sir." the nurse was speaking to him. Sephiroth nodded to her, rolled down his sleeve with a shaky hand, and stood. If the doctors noticed his condition, they would try to admit him here along with Genesis. He didn't care for that.

He made it as far as the drawing room of his apartment before his knees gave out.

* * *

 **Thoughts? Should I continue this or not?**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.**

 **Chapter 2**

* * *

"Genesis?"

Blue eyes slowly fluttered open. Genesis took in his surroundings, his eyes finally coming to rest on the form sitting by the bed.

"Angeal." he said.

The dark-haired SOLDIER nodded, a look of relief on his face. "How are you feeling?"

"Drowsy." Genesis said thickly. "My friend, your desire is the bringer of life, the gift of the goddess."

Angeal chuckled softly, shaking his head as he handed Genesis a glass of water, assuming that was what Genesis meant by 'the gift of the goddess'. "Really, Genesis? LOVELESS, even now?"

"Why not?" said Genesis. He sat up on his bed as he took a sip of his drink. "It applies to all situations, Angeal. Haven't I told you?"

"Told and demonstrated." Angeal replied, smiling. "It's good to have you back. You got us all worried, when Lazard called-"

"Indeed?" Genesis said evenly. "And to whom does 'us' refer to?"

His voice was casual, but there was a hint of bitterness in it that caught Angeal's attention. He spoke with caution. "Well, Lazard, Sephiroth, I-"

"Is that so?" Genesis held out an arm and made a gesture encompassing the room. "I don't see him here, do you?"

Much as Angeal hated to admit it, Genesis raised a good point. Sephiroth had come from the frontlines of Wutai yesterday. He was staying at the headquarters for a few days. The fact that he had not come down yet - it did not bode well for the lingering hint of animosity between him and Genesis.

"I'm sure he has a good reason." Angeal pulled out his PHS. "I'll call him, regardless."

Genesis smirked. "All that awaits you is a somber morrow, no matter where the winds may blow."

Giving him a dark look, Angeal dialed and held the PHS up to his ear.

Sephiroth picked up on the fourth ring. "Angeal."

"Genesis is awake."

The reply was immediate. "Yes. I'm glad."

"You knew?"

"I asked the doctors to keep me notified on his condition."

Angeal frowned disapprovingly, taking a few steps away from the bed and lowering his voice to try and make sure Genesis would not hear. "It is your duty as a friend to visit him. He's upset, Sephiroth. It is not honourable to-"

"I'm sure he'll come around." this time, Angeal could detect a hint of tremor in Sephiroth's tone. His brows furrowed. "Sephiroth, are you okay?"

"Fine." the response was clipped.

"Should I come over?"

"No need. Keep Genesis company." Sephiroth cut the line.

Angeal stared at the PHS, worried. Genesis stared at Angeal, feeling jealousy churn in his stomach. Even now, even here, Sephiroth took priority.

"I think he might be ill." Angeal said to Genesis as he walked back.

"Sephiroth, ill?" Genesis raised a disbelieving eyebrow.

Angeal conceded this with a grimace.

"In any case, I feel well enough to go home," Genesis informed Angeal, getting to his feet.

Angeal nodded in understanding. "I'll see the doctor."

* * *

Sephiroth clicked shut the PHS and took up his tab again, continuing the racing game he was playing.

He had taken a week's leave. The blood should be mostly replenished, by then.

The tablet shook in his hand, adding more challenge to the gameplay. He had never had to try so hard to beat a level before.

He felt no real need to visit Genesis. Angeal would make sure he was well taken care of. Besides, Genesis had a tendency to get... competitive whenever he saw Sephiroth. He would feel the need to push himself towards recovery and act completely normal. In his condition, that could not be a great thing.

Not that Sephiroth was the epitome of perfect health at present. He imagined Genesis would be elated. The proof that Sephiroth was not perfect. He had long wished for this. A good reason why Sephiroth did not want to be seen by him in this state - he would not give Genesis the satisfaction. His pride would not allow it.

A shiver ran through him. The tablet jerked, crashing his car immediately. With a soft exhale of mild annoyance, Sephiroth restarted.

* * *

"Of course, he can leave." the surgeon was saying. "The main problem was that we could not control the hemorrhage. Now that he has healed, we need only worry about the loss of blood already sustained. We have spoken to the director of SOLDIER. Genesis will not have to take missions for a while. He must be kept rested, however." he smiled. "Can we count on you?"

Angeal returned the smile. "I'll keep him out of trouble. Do we know what caused the temporary healing disability?"

The man shook his head. "We have communicated with professor Hojo. He... was not very co-operative." he grimaced slightly. "It may have to do with SOLDIER Sephiroth donating his blood. He was most displeased to hear of it."

Angeal's eyes widened. "Blood donation? But Professor Hollander had said that he was not viable."

"We had no choice, SOLDIER Hewley. We are all prepared for any complication that may arise, but so far the transfusion has worked well. Better than expected, actually. It may have been the factor that cured SOLDIER Rhapsodos of his healing disability."

Had Hollander made a mistake? "There was an wound in his shoulder. Has it healed?"

"Yes."

Angeal stared at the man in shock. Did Sephiroth's blood possess some sort of healing property they were not aware of? But... how could that be?

There was only one man who could answer this, he thought.

* * *

The phone was ringing again. Sephiroth paused his game and took it from the table, scanning the screen. His lips turned down slightly into an expression of mild disgust. Hitting the loudspeaker button and receiving button in quick succession, he set the phone back down on the table and went back to his game.

"You made a blood donation?" Hojo's voice came over the phone.

"Yes." Sephiroth tilted his tablet to make a particularly difficult turn.

"Why?"

"I had no reason not to."

"I told you never to do it!"

"My apologies. I should have said: I had no good reason not to."

There was a moment of silence over the phone. Sephiroth smirked to himself, inwardly.

Hojo had always personally seen to Sephiroth's medical care. To say that he was protective would be an understatement. However, Sephiroth hardly ever listened to him. Hojo had little power over Sephiroth, and both of them knew it. Sephiroth was the single most valuable member of ShinRa company, not including the owner himself. Not to mention most dangerous. ShinRa president was well aware of that fact, which did not count in Hojo's favor.

"You have no idea what you've done." Hojo's voice was trembling with suppressed rage. "You donated to Hollander's specimen!"

Sephiroth looked up sharply. His car hit another and went spinning out of control. "What did you just say?"

"Hollander's experiment! It would have been a complete failure, without your intervention."

"Genesis is... an experiment?"

"Project G." Hojo snorted derisively. "An utter disaster, that's what it was. Left alone, it would have degraded and be destroyed. It would have proved my superiority over that second rate quack. Not that it hasn't been proven a thousand times over already!" he added with a hint of smugness.

Sephiroth said nothing. His mind was whirling, trying to process this new information. "Genesis would have died?"

"Are you concerned? Oh, this is rich!" Hojo sounded amused. "Don't be an idiot, Sephiroth. They're not worth your efforts. The experiment was a lost cause before it has even begun."

"Who's they?"

"The SOLDIERs of type G."

"There's...more than one?"

"Why does your voice sound weak?" The shaky inhalation in between the words had caught Hojo's attention. "How much did you donate? A lot, wasn't it?"

A sudden spell of dizziness had overtook Sephiroth's sense of balance. He shut his eyes, rubbing his temples. "Don't change the subject-"

"Are you actively trying to kill yourself? Get down to the lab, I'll check you over."

As much as he detested medical attention, Hojo was probably his best chance at a quick recovery. "Fine."

And he would get some answers, Sephiroth thought grimly.

* * *

 **So I decided to continue. Thank you to all the lovely reviewers who inspired me to write this!**

 **Reply to unsigned reviews:**

 **Batgirl78: Thank you for the inspiration! Here's a shiny new chapter for you.**

 **Sango44: Thank you, thank you! Glad you liked it.**

 **Did you like this chapter? Please review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I had to edit this chapter due to fear of a misunderstanding. My apologies to everyone who've received the alert for this chapter twice.**

 **Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.**

 **Chapter 3**

* * *

"Angeal?"

When he had said he would keep Genesis out of trouble, Angeal had not realized what it would cost him.

"I'm listening, Genesis," he said patiently.

Satisfied, Genesis turned the page and continued reading the Third act of LOVELESS. Angeal quickly found his mind starting to wander again. Unlike Genesis, he had little interest in the play. Especially after being forced to watch it in the theater three times. Sephiroth had fallen asleep the third time. Genesis had bashed him over the head to wake him, hard enough to leave bruises on a normal person. Sephiroth had since then shown marginally more interest in LOVELESS, claiming it had been 'beaten into his head'.

"...nothing shall forestall my return." Genesis finished and laid the book to one side. "Thoughts?"

Luckily, Angeal had this verse memorized. "I suppose... you have to admire his persistence." Unfortunately, he did not have the whole act memorized, and so he sought a way to change the subject. "I'm going to get you something to eat."

Genesis pulled a face. "Not the blood-replenishing draught again?"

"No," Angeal assured him. "I'm going to make something out of the leftovers you have."

Genesis opened his book again. Angeal strode off towards the kitchen.

* * *

"What were you thinking?"

Sephiroth watched the saline flow through the IV line connected to his hand with a distant air. "I had to. You wouldn't understand."

Hojo snorted. "I suppose you think sentiment excuses this sort of foolhardy act? I would expect this type of idiocy from the other two Firsts, but I didn't expect it from you."

"I don't make it a point to live my life based on your expectations, professor. Now, project G."

Hojo brushed by him with a half-filled test tube. "What of it?"

"What was it?"

"Hollander's experiment," the scientist pushed his glasses up his nose with one hand. "On Hewley and Rhapsodos."

When Hojo didn't say anything further, Sephiroth pressed, "What kind?"

"Before their birth, there was an attempt to boost their abilities by changing some genetic factors. But they were born normal, so they were counted as failures."(1)

 _Then... Angeal and Genesis were not normal humans? But..._ "So, why was it called project G?"

"Project Gillian. Hewley's mother."

"And the degradation?"

"If Rhapsodos had started to degrade, I suspect Hewley would not be far behind. Hardly surprising. They were imperfect to begin with."

Sephiroth tuned out the last words. "So, will Genesis die? Or is he healed now?"

Hojo gave an irritable wave of his hand, indicating his indifference. "I suppose he is."

"Something cured him, then. My blood? How?"

A small sneer curled the lips of the scientist. "Why don't you ask Hollander?"

"And about that," Sephiroth frowned, puzzled, "Why would Hollander refuse to take my blood for Genesis if he knows it would have healed him?"

"Did he now?" Hojo outright laughed this time. "Oh, this is glorious! Too proud and stubborn to acknowledge his experiment's inferiority. I wonder how he will react when the news reaches him?"

Sephiroth narrowed his eyes in a glare that had sent many enemies beating - or at least trying to beat - a hasty retreat. Unfortunately for him, Hojo hardly seemed fazed. "I will not let my friends' lives be placed in jeopardy because of your little squabbles, professor. Answer the question."

"Pride, my boy! He didn't want to acknowledge that his experiments were faulty."

For some reason, Sephiroth couldn't help but feel that was not the full answer. However, despite Hojo's many faults, he had never outright lied to Sephiroth.

That he knew about, at least, he added to himself.

"Why did my blood heal Genesis?"

Hojo stiffened noticeably. "Your genes do not possess the imperfections theirs do," he said. "Your cells are healthy. Theirs... aren't."

"So, anyone not a product of project G would have sufficed?" That felt off, somehow.

"Sephiroth..." Hojo trailed off for a moment. "A normal human cannot donate to SOLDIERs without weakening them. You know that. It dilutes the Mako."

"But any SOLDIER could have healed them?" Sephiroth pressed.

"For the love of... Sephiroth, you cannot possibly think you were not enhanced in some way besides Mako! Why do you think we ran regular tests on you when you were younger?"

"Yes, I know..." the First paused. "Then, am I like Angeal and Genesis?"

"No," and Hojo was smiling widely. "You're better. Far better." He frowned suddenly. "Don't ever compare yourself to those weaklings."

"They aren't weaklings," Sephiroth hissed. "They're Firsts. And don't change the subject. Were my genes modified?"

"For maximum power, yes." the scientist rolled his eyes. "Are you done now?"

Quite frankly, Sephiroth didn't understand much about genetic engineering. But he did have to know... "Did the modifications involve monsters in any way?"

"No," the answer was firm.

Satisfied for now, Sephiroth lay back and closed his eyes. He would not drift off in Hojo's presence - but he did feel tired enough to warrant some rest.

* * *

Angeal stared at the lock on Sephiroth's door.

Genesis was asleep, finally, and he had taken the time to check up on his other friend. What he had found was surprising, to say the least. It was almost unheard of for Sephiroth to be out of his apartment after 9 in the evening.

Unless, of course, they were going sparring, or Lazard had sent him out on a mission.

Sephiroth never practiced alone, and he never sparred with Seconds or Thirds. So only the second option was viable.

He flipped open his PHS and called the Director.

"Hello, Angeal," Lazard's voice was harassed. "What can I do for you?"

The dark-haired SOLDIER immediately felt guilty. "If this is a bad time..."

"No, it's fine," said Lazard. "What is it?"

"Sephiroth. Have you sent him on a mission?"

There was a moment's pause. "No, despite Heidegger's insistence," Lazard's tone was dry. "I understand the definition of a leave."

"He's on leave?" That was, yet again, almost unheard of.

"Angeal," Lazard sounded surprised, "You know Sephiroth is in no condition to go on missions after the blood loss he has sustained."

Angeal's heartbeat quickened. So the shaky voice on the line hadn't just been his imagination... "During the donation?"

"Ah. So you didn't know." Lazard was silent for a moment. "Yes, due to the donation. Genesis was losing blood almost faster than they could fill him up. Sephiroth had to give about half of the amount in his body."

Genesis had been wrong about Sephiroth not caring, after all. Angeal couldn't help but feel a little pleased that his best friend had another person who cared just as much for him. The First knew that sentiment was selfish. If Lazard was right, Sephiroth had nearly destroyed himself saving Genesis.

But then... where was he? Angeal was under no illusion that Lazard might know of Sephiroth's whereabouts, so he thanked the director and hung up.

He was just about to dial Sephiroth's number when the elevator at the end of the hall opened and the man in question stepped out.

* * *

 **So, I lost interest for some time. Also, I couldn't exactly figure out where to take this story. All I have are vague ideas.**

 **1: That is what Hojo thinks. Angeal was only considered to be successful because he could absorb others' traits and did not degrade, something that Hojo cannot know about at this point in time.**

 **Reply to unsigned review:**

 **Guest: Thank you. I put a lot of effort into making them in-character.**

 **Please review! And if you have any ideas about where the plot should go from here, I'd love to hear it!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.**

 **Chapter 3**

* * *

For a moment, Angeal stood still, taking in the sight of his friend before him. Sephiroth looked terrible. His skin was paler than Genesis', and he could hear the heartbeat, much faster than usual, easily above 100 per minute. He tried to school his face into something resembling a normal expression, but judging by Sephiroth's annoyed look, he hadn't quite managed it.

"Sephiroth," he said, "I was just looking for you."

"I'm assuming Genesis is out of the hospital, then?" Sephiroth brushed by him, pulling his apartment's key out of his pocket.

"Yes," said Angeal. He paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts, and then blurted, "Why didn't you tell me?"

Sephiroth didn't glance at him. "You had more pressing concerns," he said. "I assumed you would prefer to be by Genesis' side, in any case, and I hardly required extra care."

"That's debatable," Angeal murmured. "Genesis was in the hospital. He had many people tending to his needs. One could argue that you were the one more in need of 'extra care'."

Sephiroth didn't answer to this. He opened the door and held it open for Angeal, gesturing for him to precede him into the apartment.

Angeal entered and looked around. The drawing room was as impeccably neat as always, the only thing out of place being Sephiroth's tab lying on the coffee table. It appeared that Sephiroth had been keeping himself occupied with it.

"You should have told me," Angeal said decisively as Sephiroth walked past him to sit down on the couch.

"It makes no difference," he said. "I went to Hojo. He did everything he could - I know, as do you, that you couldn't have done better."

That stung slightly. Angeal looked at Sephiroth, surprised. Despite the aloof exterior Sephiroth put up, SOLDIER's finest was actually quite good at reading other's emotions as well as knowing the right thing to say at the right time. The fact that he was speaking so coldly could mean only one thing: he was trying to get Angeal to leave him alone.

Good luck with that.

"Friends try to help each other, Sephiroth. I cannot do better than an experienced doctor or scientist, but I am going to do whatever I can to help out. You may as well get used to it."

As he made his way to the kitchen, he could have sworn he saw Sephiroth's lips curve into a genuine smile, and couldn't help but wonder if his early behavior had been some sort of test. Despite the fact that the three of them were very close, Angeal couldn't really deny that if it came down to a choice between Genesis and Sephiroth, he would always be inclined to choose Genesis. This, however, was a very different circumstance. Sephiroth had sacrificed a lot for Genesis; the least Angeal could do now was to be there for him.

But surely Sephiroth wouldn't try to ascertain his own importance to Angeal? That would be very unlike him. And either way, if it had been a test, he was quite sure he had passed.

"Do you have oranges?" he called to Sephiroth.

"Second drawer on the left," came the answer. Well, he was not refusing help outright. That was definitely a good thing.

Carrying a tall glass of orange juice, Angeal walked into the drawing room, a little surprised to find it empty. He knocked on the bedroom door.

"Come in," came the somewhat groggy voice. Was Sephiroth asleep already? With Angeal still in his apartment?

Sephiroth was half-sitting, half-lying on the bed, propped up against the headboard, a book in hand. On seeing Angeal, he lowered the book from his face and gave him a small smile.

"Thank you," he said, accepting the glass and downing the contents.

"How long are you on leave for?" asked Angeal as he took the glass back, setting it down on the end table next to the bed.

"A week." Sephiroth grimaced slightly. "It appears I overestimated myself. Hojo said that it would take at least two weeks for the blood to be fully replenished."

"I'm sure Lazard would extend if you asked him to," Angeal said, shrugging. "You have leave stored up, anyway."

Sephiroth smiled at that. "We don't do a lot of recreational activities, do we?"

"I don't think sparring counts," Angeal said with a teasing smile. "It would be extracurriculars if we were in school, though."

"School," Sephiroth muttered, as if testing the word. "I wouldn't know."

"Perhaps we can take a long break," said Angeal. "Genesis does not have to work until he is healed, and neither do you. I have more leave stored than I know what to do with. We can all go back to our village. It would do Genesis a world of good, and you haven't seen our village. It would be a relaxing holiday - perfect for your physical condition."

"Does Genesis know?"

That question abruptly cut short Angeal's daydream of Banora White apples. He shook his head. "I didn't get a chance to tell him. I came here alone, hoping to talk to you to see what was wrong - yes, I could tell something was wrong - and I only just now heard what happened from Lazard," he paused. "Thank you for what you did, Sephiroth."

Sephiroth looked up sharply, clear hurt flashing across his face. It was only there for a split second, but Angeal saw it. He blinked, confused. Why was Sephiroth...?

Oh.

Guilt twisted inside of him. By thanking Sephiroth for saving Genesis' life, he might as well have outright said it to Sephiroth that he cared more deeply for Genesis' wellbeing and thought of him as a closer friend. It was not a particularly well-hidden secret, but it had never come into open like this.

"I'm sorry," he said. "Gaia, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have-"

"No, you shouldn't have," Sephiroth said coldly. "I understand how important Genesis is to you, but don't presume that his life is not just as important to me."

Angeal sighed. "You're right," he said. "That was thoughtless."

Sephiroth looked away, and Angeal suppressed the urge to bang his forehead in frustration. He knew the signs; Sephiroth was now about to close himself off and brood. Despite acting stoic at almost everything, Angeal had sometimes seen reactions from Sephiroth that led him to wonder if ShinRa's best SOLDIER was not really the most sensitive of the three of them. But he never spoke of his feelings, and hurting him emotionally was the surest way to clam him up.

Suppressing another sigh, he took the glass from the end table and said, "Rest now. I'm going to make you dinner."

For a moment, it looked as if Sephiroth was going to refuse his help. But then he gave a curt nod, and raised the book up to his face again. Angeal left the room, feeling decidedly more miserable than he had felt when he had entered it.

* * *

 **I still don't know where this story is going. But thank you for the lovely reviews; you inspired me to continue.**

 **Reply to unsigned reviews:**

 **Guest: Genesis' reaction should be coming next chapter. Thank you for reviewing.**

 **Sango44: I'm glad you understand. Thanks for reviewing!**

 **Guest: I don't know how far I can go with this story, but thank you for the encouragement!**

 **Guest: Not a lot happened this chapter, but I hope you liked it anyway! Thanks.**


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